Wheel and motor suspension, especially for automobiles



Ii/I

July 2, 1946. "r. ULRICH WHEEL AND MOTOR SUSPENSION, ESPECIALLY FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed July 17, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR L'L'h ATTORNEY Theodore [fir July 2, 1946. T. ULRICH 2,403,145

WHEEL AND MOTOR SUSPENSION, ESPECIALLY FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed July 17, 1941 4 Shee ts-Sheet 2 mydvron I Theodore Ulrwh/ ATTORNEY y 2, 1946- T. ULRICH 2,403,145

WHEEL AND MOTOR SUSPENSION, ESPECIALLY FOR AUTOHQBILES Filed-Jul 17," 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 TIL Ii" INVENTOR Theodore Ulrl'ch 3:10 I 7 By 4 ATTORNEY July 2, 1946. T.. ULRICH 4 WHEEL AND MOTOR SUSPENSION, ESPECIALLY FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed July 17, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 21 v maz x fi amg 5 v INVENTOR Theodore [/Zrz'ch/ 52 BY .4, M

ATTORNEY wheel and metalsuspension hicle bodies, now Patent 211; Serial No. 440,131,

vPatent No. 2,380,031;

,Patenteti July 2,; .1946

OFFICE USPENSION,

ESPECIALLY FOR AUTOMOBILES I Theodore Ulrich, Milwaukee, Wis-, asslgnor to Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company,

1 Philadelphia, Pa.,

vania a corporation of Pennsyl- Amilication July 17, 1941, Serial No. 402,877 .6 Claims. (Cl, 296-28) The invention refers to vehiclewheel and motor suspension, and more particularly to such suspension for a body of the self-sustaining type.

It is among the objects of the invention to simplify the construction of the vehicle as faras the are concerned.

A further object of-the invention is to reduce e weight of the vehicle without decrease but by anincrease of strength. outstandingly to do with the motor suspension for selfth rather accompanied The invention has front. wheel and the sustaining bodies 'of t ventors applications ruary 19, 1938, for End wall construction for ve..- No. 2,289,395; SerialNo. 299,595, filed October 16, 1939,,for Vehicle body, now Patent No. 2,383,029; Serial No. 349,922, filed August 2, 1940, for Vehicle structure especially ton'neau bottom structure, now Patent No. 2.370,-

now Patent No. 2,386,280, as a division of the present application; in the application of Deisley, Ulrich and Lindsay, Serial No. 349,704, filed August 2, 1940, for Vehicle structure especially vehicle front end structure, now

and in the inventors simultaneously filed application, Serial No. 402,878, filed July 17, 1941, for cialiy for pleasure automobiles. a

1 The main features of the invention consist'in the arrangement of the front wheel suspension and the motor suspension for an automobilein such-a'manner that the stresses are evenly distributed into the self and chassis structur.

Other features consist-in improvements of the combined body and ch assis structure itself by which greater strength and ri idity is attained Vehicle body,

and the attachment of the wheel suspension and/or the power unit facilitated and improved. Other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as its details, will the followingdescription of some embodiments when read in connection with the attached drawings, v

In the drawings:

sustaining combined body parts shown in Figur nd adjacent parts e type disclosed in the in- Serial No. 191,396, filed Febtion 'along line 84 of Fl filed April 23, 1942, for

become apparent from Figure 1 is a fragmentary side .elevation of thefront end ofan automobile and the'attached wheel suspension, viewed in the direct on of the arrow I of Figure 2, the front wheel itself with its hub and the fender being omitted so as not to cover up the essential parts of theinvention;

4 Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the skirt of the wheel housing, and is c in Figures 1 and 2,- 3-4 of Figure 1;

I horizontal sections through portions of he correspondingly e 1, partly in section along line 22 of Figure 1'; 1

Figure 3 is a wheel suspension and adjacent body parts, shown partly in' section along line Figure 4 is a generally vertical certain parts of the wheel suspension along line 4-4 of Figure 3 Figures 5 and generally the wheel 6' are fragmentary,

suspension, taken alongnumbered lines of Figure -3;

Figure 7 is'a fragmentary 'front elevation, partly in section along line 11 of Figure 2;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view partly in secgure'2, viewed in the direction of the arrows at the ends of the section line;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary, vertical section along line 99 of Figure 1;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary, generally horizontal section along-line 10-10 of Figure 9;

Figure-11 is a fragmentary inside elevation in the regionof line l| l I of Figure 2 Figure 12 is a fragmentary,

along line l2-l2 of Figure 3,-

through the body wall in the region of the shock absorber connection, the shock absorber being indicated by a dot-and-dash line; and

Figure 13 is a 1. The construction-of the'self-sustained .combined body and chassis structure, part of which is shown in the drawings, is in principle largely the same as disclosed in the b applications, especially in the Patent 031 and the inventors simultaneous No. 2,380,- application Serial No. 402,878, Body for vehicles, especially for pleasure automobiles.

The front'en'd structure of the body comprises outwardly facing channel- 20 with a bottom wall 2|, 8,

upper side wall23, and marginal flangesffl, 25. .These sill member's 20are connected to and-rearwardiy continued by similarly shaped sillmembers (not shown). The flanges 24, 25 serve for fastening, such as by electric spot welding, each member 20 to the adjacent body side wall panel 26 which constitutes, in the front region, the

finished car by the fender 21,- a fragmentary-part of the latter being shown in section in Figure 3. The details of the fender arrangementrare disclosed in the inventors aforesaid simultaneousfragmentary front elevation of thesection through I horizontal section I fragmentary section along line efore-mentioned section vsill*membe1's I lower side wall 22,-an

overed in the the flange 33 of the tion structure. 1 30 and 34 are rigidly connected to i 28, and their lower ends The general arrangement of the dash and toe boards 28, 29 and of the reinforcements 30, 34, I connection of these members to the side panels 26' and to the sill members 20, are subthe aforesaid Patent No.

1 In the region sill members i 30, 34, a cross sill 33 is inserted. This cross-- The cross-member these brackets the lower marginal portion of the iacent side the car, are interconnected by the dash board 28 and the 'toe board 29. The forward. portions of the sill members 20, and the side panels 26 are braced by upwardly and rearwardly inclined members 30. The members 30 are Z-shaped in section having a. web 3|, an outer arm 32 and an inner arm 33.

The outer arm 32 overlies and inner side of the panel 25, such The margin of the inner arm flanged angle-section meniforms with the web 3| and member 33, a box' seeis fastened to the as by spot welding. 33 is connected to a ber 34, which latter The upper the dash board to the sill member 20.

and the stantially the same as described, for instance, in

Each side sill member 20 is reinforced in its interior by a, channel-section member 35 which extends from,the front end 6f the sill members to a point slightly behind the dash board 28. of the connection'between the side 20 and the inclined reinforcements member consists of a downwardly-facing channel-section member with an upper bottom wall 38, side walls 39 and marginal flanges 40. 'The open mouth of the member 38 is closed by a strip. 4| which is fastened, such as by electric spot welding, to the flanges .40. member 33 are provided with tongues 43 by means of which they are fastened to extensions 42. and overlap and tension 44 the side sill 20 and is fastened thereto. 36 is downwardly bent between ends of the members The ends of the.

I the side sill members 20. The member 4| likewise overlaps with its end explate lL the two side sill members 20 so asto make room I for the motor unit. Brackets on the crossmember 38 serve for the support of the frontend of the motor unit by means of resilient cushions (not shown) The connection between the crossme'mber36 and the side 5111 members 2.0 is further reinforced by triangular brackets 48; gener-,

ally angle-shaped in cross-section. One arm of (Figures 1, 2and1'7).

a bracket plate in on each s ae'or the having. a generally. transversely and vertically flanges l0 and '50, has. its upper end attached to e flange, 4! of-this plate is I fastened panel member 25, In the lowerregion, the memberllis cutout and overlaps and is fastened to the inner wall 2| of The lower portion of each plate 41 is'rein-- forced by a second plate 5 01 the plate 1.

plate 52 is provided witha "forwardly flange." and the outer margin with a overlaps and is fastened to the I the member 4| I dashboard 28.

to the adwardly extending arm directed flange 54, which latter is continued by' an inwardly directed flange 55. The flange 54 overlaps and is fastened to the flange 49 of the The main body of the plate 52 is cut out so as to accommodate the side sill member 20, and the cut-out portion as well as the flange 55 are provided with tabs 56, and are fastened to the top wall 23 ofthe side sill member 20. a

A third bracket plate 58 underlies and is fastened to the flange 53 of plate 52 and the bottom wall 22 of the adjacentjside sill member 28. The rearwardly and inwardly inclined forward margin of the plate wardly directed flange 59.

In the region of the overlap between the plates ST and 52, a transverse tubular member Eli is fastened by means of bolts 6|. The structure composed of the plates 51, member 60 affords a very ment for the combined body and chassis construction in this region for a purpose which will become apparent from the following description of the wheel suspension proper.

Each of the two front wheels (not shown) is rotatably supported on a stub axle 64. The bifurcated inner portion of each stub axle 64 is supported rotatably about a substantially vertical axis on a king pin 66 between an upper collar 31 and a lower collar member 58 Rigidly connected'to and preferably forming one integral portion with the king pin. 66 directed bifurcated extension 69. I I

Journalled at-||| to the member 68 is a V- or triangular-shaped link having a forwardly and inwardly'jextending arm 12 and a rearwardly and inwardly extending arni l3.' The inner end .of the forward arm 12 is iournalled in a bearing .14 which is secured by b0 the cross-member 35, I. The inner end of the arm 13 is ioumalled in a similar bearing 13 which is fastened by bolts 11 to the, underside of the plate 58 where the latter is reinforced by flange 53 of the plate 52. w

Journalled to the king pin extension 69 at "I! is the apex of a. second V- or triangular-shaped member 19 having. likewise a; forwardly and ininwardly extendinglarm 8|. The inner ends of these arms 80, 3| are 20, which latter sill member 20, the steering-gear The bearing 83 is bolted to 31 is fastened. the-side panel 26 in the region where the latter'is reinforced'by the flange 49 of theplate "and the flanges il, 55

arranged web 43 and marginal forwardly directed the side I sill member by means ofa rearwardly directed flan e I i 52 which overlaps and I I is fastened.: such as by spot welding, to the web I I I he'kins pin portions 3|, 69 may be ofanycon- The lower margin of thev in Figures 5' and 6. ,U -I'hebearings 14. I I, 82 and-83 maycomprise, as I "(5 l2 and .j

of'the plate 52. I I

The inner ends of the arms ll, 3| of the upper link 19 are rigidly connected or integrally formed -with short downwardly extending levers. 33,133.;

The free ends ofthese levers .an exchangeable rubber cushion 30 which'may .be held-by bolt andnut I movement of the links 8| will bringthe cushions 90 in contact with the bracket 92- -Figure 13 2|I,v or with the:-

attached tothe side. sill member panel 20, respectively. I I

The connections between the: linksll, l9 and ventional type. such as shown in' Figure 8 for thegbearins 51 which overlie 58 is reinforced by a down-.

52, 58 and the crosssubstantial reinforce-' is an upwardly ts 15 to the underside of and a rearwardly and I Journalled in bearinss 82. I 83, respectively. Thevbearing 82 is boltedto the, 4

by a plate 84, a-

spacer 36. In the same reinforced region of thepanel 26 and the side are provided with Excessive downward ical spring 97.

. 30. The side steering lever I I5,

Journ'alledto thezking pin extension 69 bymeans of a bolt 95 is a plate 96 which holds and supports the lower end of a rubber-covered hel- The upper end of thiss'pring is fastened toa bracket 98 by means of bolt and nuts 99, plates I00, and two rubber cushions IOI. Due to the rubber cushions IOI the transmissionof vibrations from the wheel and its suspension to the adjacent structure is likewise prevented. The bracket 98 has its inner end fastened by bolts I02 to the side panel 26 and the inclined brace wall is reinforced in this region by a welded-on heavy outer stamping I03, and the brace 30 is reinforced by a welded-on angle-section bracket I04.

The'bracket 98 is provided on both sides of its connection to the spring 91 with wings I05. Stay bolts I06 extend through holes of and are fastened to these wings I05.

their lower ends extended through and fastened to the lower marginal portions of the panel 26- and to the sill members 20, 35. In the region of the connection of the lower ;end of each stay bolt I06, the outer panel is reinforced by a plate I01, and the panel and the sill in the interior by a bolt spacer and reinforcing bracket I08; .The panel 26 has outwardly directed projections I09 which accommodate the lower ends of the stay bolts I06 and the spacers I08.

A shock absorber IIO of .the so-called airplanetypeyhas' its lower end resiliently connected by rubber cushions III to a web II2 provided'in the anglebetweenarms I2, 13 of the lower link II. The upper end of the-shock absorber is fastened by means of rubber cushions H3 in a recess II4 of the reinforcing member I03 and of the panel 26, Figures 3 and 12. I

The stub axle part 65 is rigidly connected to a the outer end of the latter beingjournalled to a link I'I6. The link us is iournalledto a lever I I'I of'the steering gear 81. A second link II is likewise journalled to lever Ill and serves for moving the second (not shown) wheel and stub axle on the other" side of the vericle. 4

The dashboard 28, the toe board 29 and the rearwardly adjacent portions I20 of the body floor panel proper all have their central portions I2I, I22; I 23, respectively, bent so as to makeroom for the rear portions of the power unit. Pax ts of these portions I2I, I22, I22 may be constituted by a customary'removable cover (not shown) giving access to the changespeed gear and theclutch of the power unit I24;

At both sides of, the forceing members overa part of the vertical portion of the dashboard 28, over the toe. board v2'9 and'the forward portion of the floor panel I 20. Each member I2! is a channel having marginal flanges I21 by which it is'fastened such as .by spot weldportions III, I22, I23 rein-' The stay bolts I06 have I25 arearranged which extend arm 80, a resilient bushing 00; such as a rubber bushing, in which the cylindrical'end 94 ofthe The attached drawings show, and the foregoing specification described often the construcand specification tion on the one side only'of a longitudinal or transverse plane of symmetry. because itis deemed unnecessary to encumber the drawings where the complementary structure on the other side of such plane is quite ob- It will be understood that the invention is liable to many modifications without departure from its principles. For instance, the new system of transmitting the stresses directly into the x fnected to the lateral body panels may be nly applicable to front and panels and said toe board and arranged in an upright plane extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the body structure from the upper region of the toe board downwardly and toward the longitudinal middle line of the body, said panels constitutingmain structural stresstransmitting parts of said structure, parts of the running gear being fastened to said panel in the regions where they are reinforced by said webs.

2. In a self-sustaining vehicle bodybined vehicle board and atoe board panel, the latter extending rearwardlyand downwardly from the lower margin of the former;

toe board panel; a pair of wide webs arranged generally in a substantially vertical plane transversely to the longitudinal extent of the body rearwardly and upwardly v mg to the panels 20, 20 and I20. The ,substantral portion of which is downwardly bent and provided in its interior with a rubber block (not shown) carrying a supporting plate I33. for the rear end of the-motor unit.

to one of said side and each having one of its margins attached wall structures and another margin to the'dash and toe board panel near the upper region of the toe board and extending downwardly from said region; a horizontal extension of each web along its lower margin, said extension having its margin likewise fastened to the adjacent side wall structure; parts of the running gear being fastened to said side wall structures in the regions where they arereinforced by said vertical webs and other parts of the running gear being fastened to the horizontal extensions of said webs.

3. In a self-sustaining vehicle body or combined vehicle body- 'and chassis-structure; a dash board panel, a rearwardly and downwardly 111-- clined toeboard panel; side panels extending beyond and connected to the lateral margins of said dash and toe board panels; a pair of elongated reinforcing webs extending in side elevation from points beyond said dash board panel and near the underside of the structure upwardly toward a portion of the dash board panel ata substantial distance above the upper edge ofthe toe board panel; the side margins of said webs being fastened to the extended portions of said side panels and upper ends of said webs being fastened to said dash board panel; said dash board panelbeing downwardly extended at its lateral ends by a, second pair of webs arranged in about the same plane as the dash board panel;

applied to other types of wheel suspensions than those shown in the drawor combodyand chassis-structure; a dash side wall structures cons margins of said, dash and 1 to the longitudinal direction said webs of the second pair having their side margins likewise attached to said side panels and suflicient space for a power unit.

4 In a self-sustaining vehicle bodyor com- .bined vehicle bodyand chassis-structure; a

dash-board panel and a toe board 'panel, the

latter extending rearwardly and downwardlyfrom the former; sidepanels connected to the lateral margins of said dash and toe board panels; a pair of webs attached to. said panels and extending in a plane transversely to the side panels from the upper region of the toe board panel downwardly and toward the longitudinal middle line of the body;

parts of the running gear being fastened to said panels in the regions Verse member being attached to and interconnecting the lower portions'of the webs.

5. In a self-sustainingvehicle bodyor combined vehicle bodyand chassis-structure; a body end wall, body side walls extending beyond said I end wall, elongated reinforcing webs arranged with their main plane uprightly and transversely extending in side elevation from points beyond said end wall and near the underside of the structure' upwardly toward a portion of the end wall "where they are reinforced by said webs; a transof the structure and vbers; reinforcing above theunder side of thel structure, said webs having their side margins fastened to the extended portions of, said side walls and their upper ends to said end wall, wheel suspension means being fastened to said side walls in regions where they are reinforced by said webs.

6. In a self-sustaining vehicle bodyor combined vehicle bodyand chassis-structure; a body end wall, body side walls havingportions extending beyondsaid end wall so as to form with said end wall a, compartment; elongated reinforcing members extending in side elevation from points beyond said end wall and near the underside of the structure upwardly to points of the end wall considerably above structure; longitudinal sill members structurally connected to said extended side wall portions and also to the lower ends of said reinforcing memplates, one on each side of the body structure, structurally fastened to said side wall portions, sill members and reinforcing members, each plate bridging the space between one of said sill members and one of said reinforcing members in a region spaced from the connecting point between said reinforcing and said sill members and adapted for'the connection of part .of the running gear of the vehicle such as springs and shock absorbers. Y

THEODORE ULRICH.

the underside of the 

